In the routine maintenance of an above or in-ground pool it is required that the skimmer basket be removed and emptied on a daily basis. The pool skimmer basket is a central repository for debris that collects on the pool water surface during pool operation. Quite often live insects including hornets, spiders, and the like are trapped in the skimmer prior to the skimmer basket being removed for cleaning. The conventional way of removing the skimmer basket would be to pop the cover with ones hand then remove the basket with the other hand. This approach leaves the hand exposed in close proximity to a quickly escaping insect and thus increases the chances of being bitten.